Tech startup iSpeech has developed a speech-recognition technology platform that appliance and TV makers like Samsung, Nest and GE can use to "speech-enable their TVs, smart thermostats and washing machines," writes Kevin Fitchard. "But it eventually wants to support platform makers like Microsoft and Ericsson to create a much richer connected-home experience, linking all of our home appliances together," according to Fitchard.

In an attempt to “'enhance collaboration' between NBC’s news brands," NBC News and cable channels MSNBC and CNBC "are being brought under a new corporate umbrella, the NBCUniversal News Group, and a new boss, Patricia Fili-Krushel," writes Brian Stelter. The presidents of NBC News and CNBC will maintain their autonomy, but now report to Fili-Krushel instead of NBCUniversal Chief Executive Steve Burke.

In a probable first for the business-oriented paper, The Wall Street Journal will debut a weekly 16-page real-estate section "targeting high-end buyers... in late September or early October," writes William Launder. It will feature "articles on topics such as home finance, distinctive neighborhoods and properties around the world," according to Launder. The section "will be mostly U.S.-focused, but it will have a more global feeling than a local paper's perspective," Robert Thomson, the paper's managing editor, tells Launder.

Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang had what sounded like a frustrating first-ever meeting with all of the company's publishers, not answering directly such questions as  whether pubs like Real Simple will be up for sale. “It was more [to be] reassuring that [the company] was being aggressive, and decisions would be revealed this fall,” one attendee told Lucia Moses.

Variety, the 107-year-old pub that once led the pack of Hollywood trades, is on a serious downward swoop, losing ad revenue as well as influence and readership among industry insiders. Valued "at close to $100 million as recently as 2008, [it] is now thought to be worth as little as $40 million," writes Patrick Goldstein. Now for sale, the pub is eclipsed by competitors Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap. Variety's "key misstep seems to have come in 2010 — a year after [Peter] Bart left the top editor's post — when it put up an online …

Nexstar Broadcasting and Mission Broadcasting have bought 12 TV stations and digital assets from Newport Television for $285.5 million. With this acquisition of stations in eight markets, Nexstar now has "67 stations in 40 markets, which the company says will allow it to reach approximately 11.4 percent of all U.S. television households," writes Eriq Gardner. "As for Newport, the deal is among three announced today that will sell a total of 22 stations," Gardner continues. "Besides Nexstar, the company is also [selling] six stations (in San Antonio, Harrisburg, Cincinnati, Mobile, and Wichita) to Sinclair Broadcasting and four stations …

In a first, New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority is offering ad space on the front of its Metrocards (apparently the back of the card has hosted ad spots before). "Advertisements on the front of the ubiquitous cards may appear in any color, and no semblance of the authority’s logo is required," writes Matt Flegenheimer. Rates are yet to be determined, but will be higher than those for Metrocard backs: ads on 50,000 cards for $25,500, and on 2.5 million cards for $450,000.

Huh? "When asked why the [Washington] Post hasn't put its content behind a paywall like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have, [CEO Don] Graham explained that 90% of the Post's audience is outside of the Washington area—but that the paper itself has only local distribution—so the premise simply doesn't make sense," writes Jennifer Reingold. We'd really like to know the answer to this question, but we can't figure out what Graham means -- can anybody else? Shouldn't the folks on the panel where Graham was speaking have asked a follow-up question?

The Emmy nominations have now been announced -- but for extra credit, we're giving you the chance to watch some of the nominees for best comic starring or supporting actress (Zooey Deschanel, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julie Bowen) and a bunch of other funny ladies with previous Emmy history (Jane Lynch, Martha Plimpton, Christina Applegate, and Laura Dern) show unrehearsed, but still impeccable, comic timing in a pre-nomination conversation engineered by The Hollywood Reporter. Or watch selected shorts -- like the tidbits about "Most Embarrassing Moments." We love the gang's reactions to Jane Lynch's fart story

Two takes on the seemingly never-ending spate of fee feuds between TV distributors and content providers that lead to programming blackouts:  First, Time Warner Cable comes out swinging, noting, "Consumers are tired of these disputes and so are we--television networks can't continue to demand huge price increases and expect us to silently pass those cost increases on to our customers." Next, Viacom "sees red" (that's red ink, not anger) after pulling its programming from DirecTV, according to Claire Atkinson. "Viacom’s networks, including MTV, BET and Comedy Central, have lost an estimated 2 million viewers in just …